District Lay Servant & Lay Ministry

Lay Academy Spring 2022 Information

DOWNLOADABLE BROCHURE BELOW

Our Spring Lay Academy/Ministry Conference is being held on April 6, 2019 this year, so mark that date in your calendars and spread the word!

We will be offering some new and exciting courses, and, of course, it is a great way to share ministries and interact with Lay Servants, Lay Speakers, and Lay Ministers from all over our District.

 “Your life may be the only Bible some people ever read.”
Growing up, my mom sang with my
grandmother and aunt in a gospel group
called the Emmaus Way Singers. One of
their “signature” songs was a 60s gospel
tune, written by a Catholic priest, called
“They’ll Know We Are Christians.”
“They’ll know that we our Christians …by our
love, by our love; yes, they’ll know that we
are Christians…by our love.”
To me, in order to live God’s best, we
must learn to be people of action who
not only hear the word, but respond in
righteousness…and love, to all those
around us.
During most of the past two+ years, we
may have temporarily exchanged pulpits
with iPads, sanctuaries with living rooms
and kitchens, added words like “Zoom”
and “virtual” and “fluid” to our daily
vocabulary, but the work of our clergy
and laity has remained the same – to
serve God while serving others and to be
a spiritual breath of fresh air in in our
communities to help transform the
world.
I am so looking forward to our time
together! If you ever have any questions,
please contact the District office at 304-
472-1095, or let me know.
Blessings,
Jim Minutelli, CLM
Director of Lay Ministry
Wesleyan District
304-629-9398
minutellij@gmail.com

As we know, ministry isn’t just a clergy endeavor; all Christians are called to serve.  Laity serve on the front line of evangelical living and are the foundations of our local churches.

As we work our way through 2022, we continue to look at new & exciting ways to intentionally engage others in service to their church and community and to utilize their spiritual gifts in a big way.

One way to do this may be through the Introduction to Lay Ministry: The BASIC course.  This course isn’t a “preaching” course (like we used to teach it) but will equip laity to better lead and work with others, while understanding more about the United Methodist Church, not only in the local church, but also in the community and throughout the world.  It is always offered during one of our Lay Academies or can be taught in your churches as a weekly study or day course, so please encourage your church leaders and other laity to take this course.

Also, if you have any questions about any of this or the Academy in general, please let us know.  You can reach Jim Minutelli at 304-745-3676 or via email at minutellij@gmail.com or on Facebook Messenger at Jim Minutelli.  Our Academy brochure will be going out in the mail soon and or can be downloaded below!

Download (PDF, 298KB)

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_________________________________________________________________________________________The ministry of the laity is the work of mission or ministry to which each believer is called. As Christians we are all called to this ministry or priesthood – not just clergy. Each of us has a responsibility to proclaim the Good News and reach out to others in love.

Certified Lay Ministry

(from the 2016 United Methodist  Book of Discipline)

2016 Lay Servant Ministries Fact Sheet

Certified Lay Servant—1. A certified lay servant is a professing member of a local church or charge, or a baptized participant of a recognized United Methodist collegiate ministry or other United Methodist ministry setting, who desires to serve the Church and who knows and is committed to Scripture and the doctrine, heritage, organization, and life of The United Methodist Church, and who has received specific training to witness to the Christian faith through spoken communication, to lead within a church and community, and to provide caring ministry. 2. The certified lay servant serves the local church or charge (or beyond the local church or charge) in ways in which his or her witness, leadership, and service inspires others to a deeper commitment to Christ and more effective discipleship.

Certified Lay Speaker—1. A certified lay speaker is a certified lay servant (or equivalent as defined by his or her central conference) whose call has been affirmed by the conference committee on Lay Servant Ministries or equivalent structure to serve the church in pulpit supply in accordance and compliance with the 2016 Book of Discipline. 2. The certified lay speaker serves by preaching the Word when requested by the pastor, district superintendent, or committee on Lay Servant Ministries, in accordance and compliance with the Book of Discipline.

Certified Lay Minister—1. A certified lay minister is a certified lay servant, certified lay missioner, or equivalent as defined by his or her central conference, who is called and equipped to conduct public worship, care for the congregation, assist in program leadership, develop new and existing faith communities, preach the Word, lead small groups, or establish community outreach ministries as part of a ministry team with the supervision and support of a clergyperson. A certified lay minister is assigned by a district superintendent in accordance with the 2016 Book of Discipline. The certified lay minister serves to enhance the quality of ministry much like a class leader did in early Methodism through service in the local church, circuit or cooperative parish, or by expanding team ministry in other churches and charges. As with lay ministry in early Methodism, the certified lay minister uses his or her spiritual gifts as evidence of God’s grace.  CLM Resources.

ATTENTION:  ASSIGNED SUPPLY or PERSONS WANTING TO TRAIN FOR CERTIFIED LAY MINISTER.  All Wesleyan District Assigned Supply who wish to continue to serve their charges next year must start these classes online as soon as possible.  Go to www.beadisciple.com/certified-lay-ministry/  to get further information.  The course book will need to be downloaded for $25 from Bookstore.UpperRoom.org.  We will also be offering Module 1 & 2 as a classroom-based course in the Spring of 2018.

There will be a shortage of trained pastors next year, so we are also looking to our Lay Servants who feel called to lead or minister to become Certified Lay Ministers.

If you have questions, please call the office and talk to Jo or get in touch with Jim Minutelli, CLM, Director of Lay Servant Ministries at minutellij@gmail.com or 304-629-9398.  Jim is a Certified Lay Minister.

UPDATED:  2018 CLM TRAINING PROGRAM DATES

The Wesleyan District recognizes the below online training program through BeADisciple.com as fulfilling the Certified Lay Minister requirements.

We will also be sponsoring a classroom-based course for CLM Modules 3 & 4 which will be held on the following dates in the Wesleyan District:  Module 3 – September 26 & 29, 2018; Module 4 – October 10 & 13, 2018.  Location Chapel Hill UMC in Buckhannon.  Out of class work will be required to meet the requirements for completion.

ONLINE COURSES:

BeADisciple.com:  Click the links for more information about each training, and scroll down to see all scheduled 2018 dates.  Each of these courses requires access to a copy of the United Methodist Book of Discipline.  Students in CLM Module 1 must have completed the Basic Lay Servant Ministries course plus a Spiritual Gifts advanced LSM course.

Click the links for more information about each training, and scroll down to see all scheduled 2019 dates.  Each of these courses requires access to a copy of the United Methodist Book of Discipline.  Students in CLM Module 1 must have completed the Basic Lay Servant Ministries course plus a Spiritual Gifts advanced LSM course.

CLM Module 1: Call and Covenant for Ministry

  • March 4-17, 2019
  • April 22 – May 5, 2019
  • June 10-23, 2019

CLM Module 2: The Practice of Ministry

  • March 25 – April 14, 2019
  • May 13-26, 2019

CLM Module 3: Organization for Ministry

  • March 4-17, 2019
  • April 22 – May 5, 2019
  • June 10-23, 2019

CLM Module 4: Connection for Ministry

  • March 25 – April 7, 2019
  • May 13-26, 2019
  • July 1-14, 2019

CONTINUING EDUCATION for CLMs

The 2016 Book of Discipline, ¶268.4

“Recognition as a certified lay minister may be renewed […] after the certified lay minister has:

… (c) completed a Lay Servant Ministries Advanced course (which we offer at each of our Wesleyan District Lay Ministry Academies) or approved continuing education event, as defined by the conference committee on Lay Servant Ministries or equivalent structure, in the last two years; …”